Evagria the Faithful
by Chronic Jerk Syndrome
Summary: Six Years since Scarring The Armada. Eliot and Kokoro are struggling to make ends meet due to China's descending economy. Mei Lin questions Eliot's motives to make her his successor. Story is mainly focused on Mei Lin's journey.
1. Poverty

_Goodbye forever, my darling whether I was everything you thought I'd be or not._

* * *

"_Ladies and Gentlemen! Our new Dead or Alive champion!"_

* * *

**A year Prior**

"When are you going to be home?"

"Depends when he releases me. You know how Chin Sui is."

"I know. I'm just worried. He just seems off, you know?"

"Kokoro- of course he's off! He'd rather pay me with bottle caps with all I'm making!"

"I know sweetie. I'll see you when I get home. I love you." Kokoro pressed the button. Her phone suddenly began to ring again. However, when she took a quick glance down, it was her sister, Helena. She pressed the button to answer. At the moment, her Bluetooth suddenly broke. "Dammit!" She yelled, suddenly coming to a stop. After turning to the apartment building, she opened the door to the car. Her luck was questioned when it broke. "Oh gosh!" she shrieked, jumping from the sudden fall.

The door to the apartment opened. Kokoro placed her purse onto the table. When she approached the small kitchen area, she pulled out ingredients for the dinner. "Four years of this," she said softly as she turned on the oven. Her phone rang again. Turning her head, she missed the call. "Dammit!" she swore again, approaching the device. "I missed Helena again!" Kokoro took her seat. After sending a quick text, the girl looked back to the stove. "We've tried and he's just not cooperative. We've tried so hard."

"_We've tried so hard."_

* * *

"Good work Mei!" When training was finished, the young Chinese girl bowed to her master. "I wish Grandfather would get off work and see me train with you. He will never retire!"

"Yeah, but you have to understand that it's just hard here. You know Kokoro and I are trying so hard to just live, right?"

"I understand."

Eliot walked with the girl out of the building. "Just think Mei Lin- you might win enough money to make him retire," Eliot stated. "You're learning very quickly. I wasn't a red belt when I was your age, you know." When Mei received the complement, she gave a small chuckle. "Don't jinx me, Brother."

"I don't think I'm jinxing you."

Eliot crossed his arms.

"You're a prodigy."

Mei Lin spent the rest of that evening thinking of the tournament. "I don't think I'm ready," she said to herself. The young girl leaned against one of the dummy poles that moved with the motion of her back.

* * *

"_Why did he choose me as his apprentice? My Master's martial arts are in a whole different league!"_

* * *

**I've had this story in thought since around Chapter 3 or 4 of Scarring The Armada.**

**Here I am with the references again. Spot the reference and win a Pip-Boy.**

**Just kidding. I can't buy anyone a pip-boy (can't even buy myself a car yet).**


	2. Acidic Ratfink

**"I just don't understand at all! Why is he doing this to you?"**

**"He doesn't treat his other co-workers like shit."**

Eliot placed his keys in the bowl. Once the master placed his bag next to the door, he proceeded to the table. After a screech of the chair wiping its wood components to the floor, he took his seat and sipped his tea. "He doesn't pay me jack shit. It's a fucking waste but I just can't get out of it!"

"Hon, I'm sure something good will come out of this. Trust me."

"I highly doubt it. I already have to duct tape the door to your car now."

Kokoro took a closer look at the piece of paper on the table. "We just barely get by. I hope we'll come out of this soon." The woman stood from her chair. "China is just tearing us apart. Even Gen is having a hard time with the shop." Kokoro then made her way to the bedroom. Once the door slammed, Eliot dug his head in his hands. His head hurt. "Four years," he sighed.

"_We can't even have a child. We can't have a normal life. We just have work."_

* * *

"Grandfather! I'm home!" Mei set her supplies next to the door. The young girl saw the older man walk to the archway. "Brother was just late today." The girl then gave her grandfather a hug. Gen smiled to himself. An understanding nod was presented. "He always does a lot, and still tries to help you. He knows you will do well."

"He said that he never even made it to a red belt at his age!"

"You have the blood, Mei."

The girl nodded. Gen Fu took a seat. The girl took a bite of her rice. "Grandfather, I'm just worried. He pushes himself. He's going to get hurt or worse!"

* * *

"I'll be here to pick you up, okay?" Her soft and innocent voiced rang in his ears even at work. The man tried desperately to stay ahead of his co-workers, as he really was. It was just impossible to impress the boss. Eliot knew something shady was covered in the man. The way he presented himself on the job was that of what he referred to as a "Nazi." However, Eliot was well aware that he was a part of a mob. The man saw well behind the boss' persona. The everyday meets of the suited, older Asian men seemed very fishy.

_The thought was disintegrated once he saw a pipe fall from the distance._

One of the co-workers did not pay attention, and it caused a ruckus. Objects and debris took a long fall, crushing co-workers in the process and putting the boss' life at risk. Eliot sprang to action. His instincts only had him sliding just seconds before being crushed, and managed to push the boss aside. The man suddenly grabbed the three-hundred pound pipe, using his strength to keep it in place. The other mobsters saw the man's strength. All seemed impressed in exception to the boss. "We will speak tomorrow," one said in Chinese, before the suited men took their departure. Chin Sui's face turned to a hue of red. His eyes set to Eliot.

"_Just what the hell is wrong with you?"_

Eliot set the pipe back into place with the last bit of strength that pushed in his body. He fell to the ground. Chin soon came up and kicked the man in the back. "I had affairs to deal with and they're all fucking ruined!"

Eliot grew pissed.

"Affairs? Your men just died and all you care about are your affairs? I fucking saved your-"

"Well, if one wasn't being an idiot we wouldn't deal with this!"

"An idiot? Who the hell was up in that tower?"

"It doesn't matter. You're always a scum Kid."

Eliot's face turned red.

The successor suddenly struck the older man in the gut.

"You know what? Fuck you. You make me accountable for your dirty work and I get treated like shit. I can't even support both me and my wife because I'm your fucking alien!"

Eliot took off his hat. The hard-edge was thrown on the man's stomach. Eliot then took off his shirt. After punching said shirt in the man's breasts, the successor stormed out of the factory.

"_I can do so much better than this."_

* * *

Kokoro had started her lunch. Once she sat down, she overheard about the factory having an odd event occur. The woman looked up at the screen. "Approximately fifteen men are pronounced dead. Eighteen are hospitalized at-" not surprisingly, Kokoro worked at a different hospital, but she still had worry. Her phone suddenly rang. "Eliot?"

"Kokoro! I'm out of work."

"I just saw what happened on the news! What happened? Are you alright?"

"Just a sharp pain in the back. I'll be fine."

"I'm so glad you're okay! Is Chin alright?"

"He's got a piece of mind, that's for sure."

"Oh! Please! Come here! I want to check on you, okay?"

"I'm fifteen minutes away. I'll explain when I get there."

Before the girl could eat, she suddenly ran to the reception. After the notice, she proceeded to take advantage of the break she had. Her mind wandered. Kokoro sighed to herself. Thoughts raced into her mind. "What if he could have been one of those men?"

_Before she knew it, a shadow approached her._

"You know how I said on the phone that I'm out of work?"

Kokoro nodded when she turned around to meet Eliot eye-to-eye.

"Well, I quit."

* * *

_**Work is making me procrastinate even more.**_

_**Let's just say I've got my first month in and after next month I get insurance, meaning I have to go in and get my ovaries out.**_

_**So hopefully by then chapters will pour in if I'm not so drugged up like a stoner.**_

_**Also, funny enough, my work computer likes to tell me "FU" right in that format.**_

_**Aside from that, I'm in love with Travis Grady and Vanellope Von Schweetz, so I'm all: "HOLY CRAP! BLACK HAIR AND PARKAS."**_

_**Literally. Black hair and parkas.**_


End file.
